Lights Out
by Casey Wolfe
Summary: After finding Mack in the middle of a nervous breakdown, David goes to check on Connors after lights out to see how he's doing. [Slash]


**A/N: Could be seen as a sequel to "Earth Angel" but can be read completely separate. Filling my own prompt for the Small Fandoms Fest.**

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><p>Lights out had been called in the dorm less than fifteen minutes previous but already it was quiet. Typically there was more fuss, however with what had just happened with Mack, everyone had settled in. David and the rest of the seniors on the team had started looking for him as curfew drew near. They hadn't expected to find him in a nervous breakdown in the French room.<p>

Afterward everyone had been ordered back to their dorms and straight to bed. David was still laying awake, far too wired to even think about sleep. He knew his roommate Chris was awake as well, so when he swung his legs out of bed and sat up David said, "I'm gonna check on Connors."

Chris twisted his body to face him, nodding his head with a deep frown on his face. "Just be careful. Last thing any of us needs is to get caught sneaking around." They probably would have all been receiving punishment for their earlier breach of curfew had Mack not been found as he was.

David murmured an affirmative, slipping on a robe to cover his bare torso. "Don't wait up," he added before heading out.

He padded quietly down the hallway, not sure when Cleary would return from speaking with the Headmaster about everything that happened. No doubt their French teacher- and unfortunate Housemaster- was spinning things to look more favorably upon himself. Putting that infuriating man from his mind for the time being, David instead chose to focus on Connors.

The teen was Mack's roommate and had been with David at Mack's side attempting to comfort him while the others had gone for help. Connors had been shaken to the core, that was plain to see. David didn't feel right leaving him like that, all alone in his room.

He knocked quietly, pondering if Connors had even heard it when the door opened. The bedside lamp was on, the shades drawn so no one would see. It back-lit Connors, casting shadows across his face. Even then David could see his deep frown.

"Hey," David spoke gently, careful to pitch his voice low. "Can I come in?" Connors nodded, letting him pass before closing the door behind him. "You okay?" The blonde was still dressed in his grey sweatshirt and khakis, his eyes puffy and cheeks red from crying.

Huffing, Connors shook his head, plopping down on his bed. "Not really."

David sat on the edge of Mack's bed across from him, legs jostling with Connors' in the small space. He barely settled before Connors just started venting, "I should have known. I mean he was my roommate. I should've seen something." He looked up at David with moist eyes. "I should've helped him."

Shaking his head, David made _shushing _noises and took his hand. "No man… there's no way you couldda seen this coming."

Connors sniffed and shook his head, looking down at their joined hands. "I _lived _with him," he argued. "If anyone would have seen how stressed Cleary was making him-"

"Stressed, yeah. We all saw how that bastard was riding him, but we never thought Mack would just…" David sighed, shaking his head as he breathed out, "break." Mack was always so bubbly and full of energy. To see him that night broken and alone, it had torn at David's heart. Hell, it looked like it had completely ripped Connors' out.

Face scrunching in pain, Connors tried to pull his hands away as he started to cry. David ended up moving with the motion however, sitting next to the strawberry-blonde. "Hey," he murmured, an arm wrapping around his shoulders to pull him in. "It's okay Jack. It'll all be okay."

Connors mumbled something unintelligible as he buried his face in David's neck. Not that the brunette asked him to repeat it. He simply wanted to help take some of the pain away, to comfort. He wasn't quite sure how to do it, but he figured simply being there was a start.

One hand rubbed up and down Connors' back, the other rested against his jaw, fingers curling around the scruff of his neck. "It's alright," David murmured into his hair. "I've got ya."

They stayed that way for some time until Connors had no tears left. He sniffed a couple times before pulling back slowly, wiping his nose on his sleeve. "Sorry," the blonde murmured.

"Don't be." David gave him a crooked half smile when blue-grey eyes looked up to meet his. They were a bit red from crying, puffy underneath with a spread of rosy color across his cheeks. Even in that moment though, Connors was still beautiful. "Better?"

Connors nodded, eyes flicking away in what appeared to be embarrassment. David wasn't having any of that though, hand cupping his face and rubbing a thumb across his cheekbone. There was a little inhale of breath from Connors as he looked back at him.

There was a moment when neither of them dared to breathe. Then they moved together, lips connecting.

They kissed like they were drowning. There wasn't much finesse behind it, their teeth clinking together as they opened their mouths for more. Connors pawed at the brunette's robe until he was able to slip his hand inside, running it along bare skin. It only made David drag him closer.

They ended up further on the bed until David's back hit the headboard. Connors had crawled over top of him and with a yank on his hips from David he ended up straddling the other teen's lap. The blonde only groaned into his mouth, hands finishing the job of opening David's robe.

Returning the favor, David pulled the Connors' sweatshirt off, followed by his thin teeshirt underneath. The pair were used to changing in front of each other for football but David had never taken the time to admire Jack's form- for obvious reasons. His hands wandered then, running firmly up Connors' sides, causing a low moan to drop from the blonde's lips.

"You're so beautiful Jack," he murmured reverently.

He blushed fiercely at the compliment. He attempted humor by teasing, "Don't think guys can be beautiful there Greene."

David only smiled. "Well, you are." He stopped the blonde's protests by pressing their mouths together. The heat behind it only served to arouse them further.

Hips moving up of their own accord, David groaned at the friction. There was an answering gasp into his mouth from Connors. It brought him back to reality, fingers squeezing onto Connors' hips. "Wait… wait a sec…" David breathed against his lips.

"What?" Connors blinked a few time, chest rising and falling a bit heavier as he looked down at him.

"Where are we going with this?"

The blunt question had Connors blushing, clearly realizing their predicament. "I… dunno." He took a deep breath before shaking his head. "I'm sorry," he muttered. When he attempted to move away though, David locked his arms around his waist.

"Don't be," he insisted quickly. "Just don't want to do anything you don't want." Honestly, he wasn't too certain Connors was emotionally stable enough to make that kind of decision.

Thankfully Connors seemed to get that without having to be told as he blew out of his lips in frustration before sliding off of David's lap to lay beside him. "Fuck," he grunted out. He tilted his chin back, gazing up at David. "What the hell are we doing?"

David quirked his lips. "Oh, don't get me wrong… I'm very interested in where this could be going. I just dunno now's really the best time."

Connors nodded, arm coming up to rest on his forehead. After a couple minutes of silence the blonde asked hesitantly, "Will there _be_ a time?"

David smiled warmly, leaning down to press his lips to Connors' in a brief kiss. "Most definitely," he assured.

Connors returned the grin. "Good." Looking shy again he inquired, "Will you stay with me tonight?"

David knew it was more than just this crazy thing between them that had him asking. Connors no doubt didn't look forward to the idea of being all alone in his room, far too used to Mack slumbering in the bed beside him. "Yeah," he answered, brushing his fingers through strawberry-blonde hair, "I'll stay right here."

Connors offered him a smile, moving to change into a pair of sleep pants before returning to bed. By then David had tossed his robe onto the spare bed, holding the blankets up for Connors to slide in before shutting off the bedside lamp. Grinning, Connors snuggled up against the brunette's side, his head in the crook of David's shoulder. "Night," Connors murmured, not able to stop smiling.

David pressed a kiss to his forehead, hand rubbing at his arm as he held him close. "Goodnight Jack."

Sleep came surprisingly easy after that.

/End


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